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Middle East / North Africa Appeal

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Trade unions in Tunisia led the street demonstrations this January which led to the downfall of the regime. In Egypt strikes across the country led to the replacement of President Mubarak and the creation of new, independent unions. In Bahrain, trade unions joined the protests for democratic reform. Across the region, trade unionists are demanding decent work - good jobs at fair wages, rights and democracy, and we can help.

TUC Aid's immediate appeal aims to raise £15,000 by the end of March as the UK contribution to a global ITUC appeal for emergency funds. The money will be used to assist trade unions anywhere in the MENA region, and to lay the foundations for longer term work which will need more serious project planning.

Mahdi Abu Dheeb, the President of the Bahraini Teachers' Association (BTA), has now spent more than a year behind bars for doing nothing more than leading his trade union. Please support his union's petition calling on UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to intervene in his case.

The Egyptian authorities have just sentenced Kamal Abbas, the highly-respected labour leader to six months in prison for 'insulting a public officer'. Please sign the LabourStart appeal demanding the Egyptian authorities drop the sentence.

One year after the Egyptian revolution toppled Mubarak, Diana Holland, Unite Assistant General Secretary addressed Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa “demonstration for a human rights revolution” in Trafalgar Square, on 11 February 2012.

“Women in Egypt sorely need a voice in their workplaces; to demand the right to decent work and to insist on a place in their unions,” said Kate Allen, Director of Amnesty International UK, at the TUC Congress fringe on Egypt.